1001 Albums Summary

Not really my bag. Not sure I’d go out my way to listen again.

I fucking hate Eric Clapton for obvious, non-music related reasons. But now I can add music to it cause this is boring as fuck (title track aside). Over an hour of the same dull guitar riffs and solos in between songs that can hardly be described as “the blues”, fuck this

The godfather of grunge. Great album.

Not my favourite Talking Hesds record, but then they’ve never put out anything less than an 8/10 so that’s not a bad thing. One of the best bands ever, could happily listen to their back catalogue and nothing else for the rest of time.

Listen, I like Neil Young lots, and this is a record I hadn’t heard before and I really liked it, but I’ve been doing this for six days and I’ve had three Neil Young records already. I’m begging for some variety here.

Could only find the title track on Apple Music, but I fuck with it big time. Kind of shit you’d hear in a planetarium or on the Space Odyssey soundtrack Bet dropping a tab and listening to this would go so hard

Funk is the one genre I’ve never really been able to get into, try as I might. There are some very good songs on here (Family Affair especially.) and I can definitely appreciate the lyrics and craftmanship but I’m not sure it’s something I’d rush back to. Separately though, that album cover art is ridiculously good.

Preferred this funk to yesterday’s funk. Decent enough record.

I love Adele man, absolute national treasure and one of the greatest British voices ever. Weirdly I’ve never listened to an album in full, though it’s hard to escape her on the radio, perhaps it gets a bit repetitive but when the voice is that strong it doesn’t really matter to me. Also, Hello is one of the strongest album openers I’ve ever heard.

Not much to say beyond this being Bob Marley’s Magnum Opus. Excellent record!

Can’t stand Bjork. Never got the hype, never will. Terrible record, next.

Meh. Very indifferent, sounds like any other late 80s/esrly 90s R&B record.

NO MORE BJORK PLEASE

Had to go via YouTube and sound quality wasn’t great, but I can dig it.

It doesn’t get Eddie Vedder than this!

I liked it. Would listen again, but also it’s not going to be in my rotations consistently. Perhaps gets a bit same-y quite quickly.

Can’t convince me anyone genuinely enjoys this shite.

Decent enough. Would listen again.

For me, this is the defining Britpop album.

Of all the albums I’ve listened to so far on this 1001 adventure, this has by far has the best opening.

Kinda funny how you can sometimes when you know it’s an artist/group’s final record, you can hear it in the music can’t you? Bridge Over Troubled Water is certainly one of those. Having looked at other reviews I think I’m in the minority who don’t see this as S&G’s best album (Sounds of Silence or Wednesday Morning, 3AM for me.) but still, it’s a fantastic effort, and I’d expect no less given the talents of the duo, and in The Boxer has one of my favourite songs ever within it. One thing I’ve always thought funny was that it must be one of the only records where the title track is one of the weakest songs on the record.

First Beatles album to come up. I can absolutely appreciate the greatness and legacy of The Beatles but I’ve never been the biggest fan personally. Can see why this was/is so highly regarded but it’s also a bit sickly and also very samey. Any Time At All is great though, probably the best on this record.

It’s worth a four solely for Maps.

Baba O’Reilly aside this is proof that you can rehash the same chord progressions over and over and make a record that your lambretta riding uncle will play on repeat to relive his glory days of going to Brighton desperately trying to revive a long since dead scene. Very tedious record.

I just don’t like funk. Nothing against the record, it’s just the genre as a whole ain’t for me.

It just sort of goes on really doesn’t it? Not Joni’s finest work. Some really good instrumentals at times though.

Too many sneering reviews getting high and mighty about this record. Don’t take it seriously, it’s a decent enough pop record with some bangers on it, perhaps a bit longer than it needs to be, but by no means terrible.

Bruce will always get 5 stars from me, he’s my fucking idol. Think this has come at a good time as I recently watched Deliver Me From Nowhere, and hearing the pomp of B.I.T.USA after Nebraska hits differently now. It’s also an excellent social commentary of Regan’s America. Not my favourite Bruce record, but again, he’s never made a bad record to me. Highlights are “I’m on Fire”, “Bobby Jean” and “My Hometown”. BRUUUUUUUUCE!!

I’m relatively late to CCR but my word, what a band. Cosmo’s factory is them at their swamp Rock best. That back to back combo of “Run Through the Jungle” straight into “Up Around the Bend” is perfection. Also, funnily enough this is there the second record I’ve listened to that’s had a “I heard it through the grapevine” cover on it.

Just a bit dull really.

You can tell a lot about someone’s knowledge of punk by how highly they rate this (it’s fucking shite)

Ehh. I very much have to be in the mood for Van Morrison, today was not one of those days.

EVH is easily one of the greatest to ever pick up the guitar, ridiculously talented. Also Panama always reminds me of Superbad, so extra marks for that.

There’s a bitersweetness that comes with this record. Mostly based on the fact that none of us were there to witness this in person, and that a year later we’d lose the King of Soul forever. Anyone who knows me, knows I adore Sam Cook, he’s the greatest vocalist ever for me, but weirdly I’d never come across his live stuff until now. This just strengthens those claims, for 39 minutes the man doesn’t miss a note and has the audience, and us the listener in the palm of his hand. Absolutely nuts record.

Here, There and Everywhere is probably my favourite Beatles song, so that’s something at least.

Imagine waking up in your cell one day and getting to see Johnny fucking Cash, what kind of “punishment” is that supposed to be

This album started what I think might be the greatest three album run any band has had. The whole band is so dialled in here, Stipe sounds electric and Mills bass lines especially are punchy as hell. Very very good.

No idea how this made it onto the 1001 list. Biting, generic and outdated 00’s indie.

Weirdly I’ve never listened to Lou Reed/The Velvet Underground so for this to be my first foray feels as though I can’t fairly rate as I know from reading that it wasn’t his “best”. I love the concept though, and think in the future I’ll definitely revisit it with perhaps a better understanding of Reed’s catalogue.

Got boring very quickly.

The blues, when the blues was exciting and had emotion. Loved this.

Always have time for a S&TB record.

I can understand why it’s not for everyone, and it’s definitely unconventional when compared to Davi’s’ earlier work, but my goodness does it work. BB is an unprecedented work of art that transformed Jazz forever and cemented Miles Davis legacy as one of the all time greats.

The older I get the more I appreciate Jack White’s music. This was great.

This was a nice surprise. Never heard of White Denim but enjoyed this a lot, decent amount of variety from track to track and a refreshing sound for 10’s indie.

Who doesn’t love a bit of grindcore on a December morning? In all seriousness though, cool how you can hear the change in band dynamic half way through with the change of members.

This was one of my favourite albums 15 years ago when I was big in my indie phase and thought my music taste was vastly superior to everyone else’s. It’s still decent to revisit, but it’s nowhere near as seminal and amazing as I once thought.

Voice like velvet.

Boobs lmao

Two Roxy Music albums in two days is too much Roxy Music, please stop it.

Some super fuzzy grunge. Nice.

One of the better Beatles albums.

I spent 2021 attempting to learn “Never Going Back Again” on guitar and nearly broke my fingers. Anyway, it’s a very good album. But I don’t believe it to be one of the greatest of all time as the ratings on this list would have you think.

This was absolutely not one of the 1001 albums I needed to listen to before I died.

I simply won’t listen to Bjork. She’s fucking awful.

I am the furthest thing from a Hip Hop head, but to say TOAB isn’t anything but a cultural landmark is insanely disingenuous. You don’t have to be rap fan to see that this is one of the best works of the 21st century, released at a time when America stood on a dangerous precipice (which it unfortunately dived head first into.) In the ten years since it was first released this has aged like a fine wine, with Kendrick’s social commentaries feeling as relevant now as they did then. Musically, the seamless fusing of funk, jazz and soul elements into Kendrick’s verses are some of the smoothest production work I’ve heard. I’ve got a lot of albums I consider a ten through personal biases, but this is genuinely a perfect album.

Fucking hell that was ass

It’s nothing groundbreaking but it’s good enough to not get bored. That said, Peaceful Easy Feeling remains one of my favourite songs ever.

Again, this is not an album I needed to listen to before I die.

Enough of the generic British new wave.

Maintain that Radiohead are just Coldplay for pretentious people.

Great stuff. Love the harmonies.

Meh, lost a lot of respect for Billy Bragg when he voted Lib Dem in 2010 and it tarnished the message of his music as a result.

It’s the same song again’

Decent enough, not Indie Landfill which is always a decent yardstick for anything of this sort from the 00s.

Boringggg

If ever an album perfectly encapsulated the turn of the millennia, this is it.

My dad grew up in Manchester in the 1970s, and from how he describes it, Unknown Pleasures perfectly encapsulates it. I think Martin Hannett’s production might genuinely be the greatest production work ever on a record. The ability to make such a gloomy, atmospheric record sound so stripped back is so impressive to me. I think, in spite of the popularity of this record (and of course Love Will Tear Us Apart), Joy Division are often overlooked in terms of Mancunian bands, and yet, alongside The Smiths, I think they’re the ones who’s sound has the biggest legacy. Unknown Pleasures truly was the post-punk blueprint, whilst metal bands like Sabbath may have come before them, Joy Division pioneered a different type of dark sound that paved the way for so many more artists across a multitude of genres to explore the deepest, darkest depths of their work, and for that, this moody motherfucker will be forever grateful.

Fuck this and fuck Bono. Cunt.

David Byrne’s discussions around his neurodivergence being a blessing for his music are always so apparent when you put a Talking Heads record on. He’s such a genius.

I got a fever, and the only prescription is more BONGOS

Peter Gabriel, and Genesis in general, simply isn’t for me.

Girls just wanna have fun, and you know what? With this record they do exactly that! Not the sort of thing I’d go out my way to listen to, but it’s harmless and jovial and a good time, I can respect it. Also I genuinely believe Time After Time is the single greatest pop song ever produced.

Would be better as an instrumental record I feel.

Has some flashes, but think there’s a lot of filler in here too.

Their sound, and production, is tight as hell, and the whole band were dialled in for sure. But it does just feel a bit boring at times, I don’t know if that’s because the obvious suspects have been overplayed beyond belief by the “real rock radio!!” types maybe? It does just run out of steam very quickly I found on a re-listen. That said, I love Nightrain, that’s a real powerful, take no prisoners track for sure. Also Slash will always have a place in my heart, his sound and style fully got me into playing guitar, the man is a legend.

Can’t stand Queen, next.

This was a seminal album of my adolescent years so will always have a big place in my heart. I’ll love you forever Frank, even if you have disappeared off the face of the earth musically.

Starts with one of the greatest songs ever but fades from there. Still a good record, but not one of the Stones best.

Absolute shite

This album is definitely when Slipknot shifted from their initial nu-metal sound to a more conventional form of the genre. It’s so tight on production though, and more melodic. I love it, so many memories of being called a mosher/goth/emo by the older kids on my bus to school for listening to it.

Tony Soprano summer!! (I’m listening to Dirty Work whilst driving my car in a loud shirt smoking a cigar)

I would sell my soul to be able to hear Nightswimming again for the first time. One of the most stunning four minutes of music ever. For me, Automatic For The People is one of my favourite records of all time, zero skips, not bloated in run time, a band absolutely at their zenith (albeit a band such as REM never really dipped below said zenith in their career.) Truly is a perfect record.

Overkill is very apt, cause that’s exactly how this feels. All the songs blend into one speedy fuzzy blur. Not for me.

It took me so long to get into The Doors, which was foolish on my part, cause the hype is so real, what a band. Morrison Hotel definitely isn’t their best album, but it’s still very good.

Very, very good album.

Not for me.

Bob is king.

Never really got the Kinks, felt like they were there to make up the numbers when it came to British bands of the 60s.

Smithers, I’m beginning to think that Joni Mitchell was not the brilliant songwriter I thought she was.

No modern pop album has any right to be that long.

Beyond the title track it got very boring very quickly. Felt like I was in the bleachers at a Mets game.

One of the greatest records of all time. The album that got me into the Boss, and changed my life entirely. 10/10, no flaws.

Two incredible records in two days. We are on a streak here.

Shit. Fuck John Lyndon too.

I fully get why this is marmite, but for those who like this sort of stuff, this really is an incredible record, groundbreaking stuff. Reznor is the man.

It’s a three star record, but Eruption alone gets it an additional star.

Feel like this started with a lot of promise but got quite bland relatively quickly. Is it trying to be grunge, is it garage? Not sure it even knows itself.

Easily one of my favourite records of all time. Vocal harmonies, Layne’s lyrics, the sludgy/doomy nature of the whole thing. It’s an absolute masterpiece.

“You are currently number 72 in the queue, please continue to hold. One of our representatives will be with you shortly.”

Probably my least favourite Smiths record (not that they ever put out a bad one mind you.) Kinda cool how you can hear the sound/direction of the band change on this one. Find it very interesting that Marr considers this their strongest effort, makes me wonder how much further their sound would’ve changed/developed if they’d continued.

Utter shite, can’t believe there are people trying to to act like it’s some sort of genius.

Fuck this cunt.

This website is obsessed with PJ Harvey and it makes no sense cause she’s so dreary.

Animal Nitrate is a banger, the other ten versions of it, less so.

This is the sort of thing that makes me happy I signed up to this challenge! Wonderfully refreshing stuff. I’m trying to listen to more and more stuff from across the globe, so this was an excellent addition to my rotations.

No one sings like you anymore, Chris Cornell.

What are they tuning, a harp?

Bit of a nothingburger, definitely not an album I needed to listen to before I died.

Ah man, this takes me back big time. Starting university, long nights playing FIFA and pre-drinking before student nights and trying to stay awake in lectures the morning after. This album featured a lot in those times. Listening back now, it’s nothing particularly groundbreaking, but on a personal level, those memories from a relatively carefree time, just living each day intertwined with songs like Gun & We Sink perhaps give me rose tinted glasses. Lovely stuff.

Awful, no idea what it’s trying to be. The vocals? Eeeesh.

Sloop John B being co-opted into the most tinpot, lower league football chant still remains funny to me. CRAWLEY’S A SHITHOLE, I WANT TO GO HOME! Anyway, this is one of the greatest ever, don’t try and say otherwise.

Excellent.

Extra star for Sweet Emotion, otherwise it’s very very dull.

Never really listened to Elvis Costello before, not particularly sure why, but I enjoyed this. I think I’d learn to love it on further listenings and I think this warrants a deeper dive into EC’s catalogue too.

I just really don’t like Bowie, I don’t like his voice, I don’t think he did anything particularly groundbreaking with his sound given the eras he was in. The hype has always baffled me.

Is that the fucking Come Dine With Me music hahahhahaha

I adore Loveless as a record, so I had high hopes for this, but I just couldn’t get into it, felt very drawn out and at times self-indulgent. Nothing I’d be drawn back to.

My first, and hopefully last, Jethro Tull record.

This would sound great if I was in a 90s shopping centre.

Remember listening to this for the first time, it was an absolutely transcendental experience.

It just doesn’t really go anywhere? Plods along with a lot of same sounding tracks blending into one.

A few good tracks here and there, but it’s definitely not an album I needed to hear before I die.

Admittedly I’m by no means a big rap fan so my word doesn’t count for much, but this just felt very generic and bland. I’m sure someone with more skin in the game than me could explain the intricacies and what makes this a good record but for me it just sounded like any other 90s east-coast rap record.

A seminal album growing up. A gateway into the alt scene for this elder emo. Just 38 minutes of unfiltered adolescent joy. It’s kinda sad to see what Green Day have become when they were at this level, but then times change and people move on. No one can deny them this though, one of the best pop punk albums out there. 10/10, no notes.

Do I like this or not? I don’t know. It feels pretentious as hell but also I think I enjoy his voice? I don’t know.

Fuck yeah, early hardcore rocks.

Will caveat that my review here is probably skewed by the fact I’ve had two Cohen records in two days, and I think that’s way too intense for anyone who’s not a massive fan given his style. I can fully appreciate Cohen’s influence, legacy and talent for Songwriting, and how much he’s shaped modern music, but this really was a challenge to get through. It’s not engaging enough, each song feels very samey and when that’s just plodding along with little backing music it proves increasingly challenging as the record goes on. Maybe I need to come back to this in my own time and try and appreciate it in isolation? Not an awful record but just not something I found engaging.

Liked it more than I thought I would, but still not something I’d ever need to listen to again.

Nothing to write home about by any means but also enjoyed it. Like the unpolished, rawness of it. Draws on a lot of wide ranging influences throughout, particularly interesting to hear a fairly heavy REM sound at times.

Transcendental, Ethereal, Otherworldly. This is the kind of stuff I wanna hear as I ascend from this mortal life into the next. The type of shit I wanna drop acid to and lie in a field looking at clouds on a summer’s day. Ridiculous record, had absolutely no right being THAT good.

There’s a very strong argument that this is the greatest debut record ever made. No idea what those boys were on (other than a fuck load of E most likely.) but they bottled lightning with this. From the moment I Wanna Be Adored fades in to the crescendo of I Am The Resurrection they simply don’t miss a beat. Production is so dialled in it’s honestly ridiculous. It makes the fall from grace with “Second Coming” all the more baffling. But honestly, no notes, it is and always will be a 10. On a personal note, it’s a very emotionally charged record too. I grew up on the Roses courtesy of my old man, and we were fortunate enough to be at one of the Heaton Park reunion shows. Seeing Mani walk onstage like a deer in the headlights but immediately become one as he struck those opening bass notes made the hairs on my neck stand up as a 17 year old, and the memory still does today 14 years later. I’ll never forget the glow in my dad’s eyes (and I’m sure he thinks the same of mine.) when it happened, along with seeing so many middle aged Mancunians being transported back to their glory days. RIP Mani, thank you for being part of one of the best nights of my life x

Nice start to the week. Glad it opened with Running Up That Hill, post Stranger Things that song has become ridiculously overplayed, but once we got past that I think there was a lot to like here. Each song felt unique and as a result the record as a whole kept me engaged.

It’s true, Miles Davis did invent being cool. Like how in these earlier records there’s a much more traditional jazz sound, you really can hear Davis evolve throughout his records. There’s something for everyone in his back catalogue. Truly one of the greatest to ever do it.

The best way I can describe The Kinks is the 60s equivalent of Indie Landfill. They rode on the coattails of The Beatles and Stones, trying to make music as good and just putting out average stuff that made up the numbers. It’s harmless and by no means awful but it just feels like it’s here to make up the numbers.

An album that sounds and feels like a warm, lazy summers day were nothing really happens but in that moment everything is right. Not one of Young’s most acclaimed records, but one that feels like he’s truly himself. In the aftermath of After The Gold Rush and Harvest, you can almost sense the pressure is off and he can just let it hang and do what he wants here, and it works so well.

Like a slightly more sophisticated version of me in secondary school music mashing buttons on the keyboard with the sound fx setting on. This was fucking awful.

Expected to not be a fan as assumed it’d just be another 60s cut and paste of The Beatles but this absolutely caught me off guard! A lot rougher and raunchier, like prototype punk stuff. Really enjoyed it.

It’s probably the best record of the 21st century, production is so polished, Amy’s vocals are insane, she really was at the top of her game, it’s punchy yet melodic and it flows from track to track perfectly, at no point does it feel bloated at all. The loss of Amy still hurts so much all these years later, there was no one around like her and there hasn’t, and won’t be again. She could’ve been taken from the 60s and dropped into the 00s and no one would’ve known otherwise, that girl had the world at her feet, it’s just a crying shame that the world chewed her out and spat her back up. Rest easy, Amy. The world’s a worse place without your music Queen.